Adored Neighbours actor Darius Perkins dies aged 54

Beloved Australian actor Darius Perkins has sadly passed away after a battle with cancer. He was just 54-years-old.

Most Australians will remember Perkins as the original Scott Robinson on long-running soap Neighbours. He played the character in 1985, before Jason Donovan took over. Fans of Neighbours in the early years will recall that it aired on Channel 7, before making the move to Channel 10. With the move, Perkins was replaced.

According to the Herald Sun, Darius passed away on Wednesday after fighting cancer. The news has sparked an array of messages across social media for the actor.

One Neighbours fan account called Erinsborough News wrote: “Deepest sympathies are extended to the family of Darius Perkins, who passed away after a long battle with cancer. Darius played the original Scott Robinson when the show premiered in 1985, and will be familiar to newer fans as Marty Kranic in 2013.”

Deepest sympathies are extended to the family of Darius Perkins, who passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Darius played the original Scott Robinson when the show premiered in 1985, and will be familiar to newer fans as Marty Kranic in 2013. #Neighbours pic.twitter.com/fj4l5jMX0B

— erinsborough news ⭐️🏡🌈 (@ErinsboroughNew) January 5, 2019

Another fan message on Twitter said: “Sad to hear of the passing of Darius Perkins, part of the original #Neighbours cast and the first Scott Robinson. When looking back at the early eps, his Scott really fit in well with the Robinson family. And he also had a great role in early #HomeandAway as evil Gary Samuels.”

A third added: “RIP my friend and fine actor, Darius Perkins. Was your lil [SIC] bro for a time in the streets and warehouses of Melbourne…You will be missed King.”

Meanwhile, a further message read: “Genuinely sad to hear about the death of Darius Perkins. I actually preferred his version of Scott Robinson in Neighbours to Jason Donovan’s. Condolences to all who knew him.”

Genuinely sad to hear about the death of Darius Perkins. I actually preferred his version of Scott Robinson in Neighbours to Jason Donovan's. Condolences to all who knew him.

— Joe Julians (@JoeJulians) January 5, 2019

Perkins’ first role was actually in iconic Australian drama The Sullivans in the late ’70s. He went to to appear in a string of other Aussie hits including All The Green Year, Prisoner and A Country Practice. After his initial departure from Neighbours, he joined rival soap Home and Away as Gary Samuels. 

His role in the 1983 HBO film All The Rivers Run won him a Logie award and in 2013, he returned to Neighbours as character Marty Kranic.

Perkins’ character worked with villain Paul Robinson on the iconic soap as a shady associate. He had not appeared on screen in recent years. It is not publicly known what type of cancer Perkins was battling at the time of his death. 

Do you have a message of support for Darius Perkins’ friends and family? Do you remember watching him on Neighbours?